Bill
SB 1822
IDOT must run a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of the South Suburban Airport and pause any further state or AIP funding until the analysis is finished.
Status and timing
- Introduced: Feb. 5, 2025 (Sen. Laura M. Murphy).
- Effective date: upon becoming law (provision in the bill).
- Current procedural status (as provided): referred to committee/assignments; committee activity and hearings are recorded in the legislative history.
Purpose and intent
- Require the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to perform a comprehensive cost‑benefit analysis of constructing the proposed South Suburban Airport, and to pause additional public funding or use of certain federal airport funds for the project until that analysis is completed. The intent is to ensure a full economic and fiscal review before further state or federally‑granted monies are committed.
Key provisions
- IDOT must conduct a comprehensive analysis of costs and benefits related to construction of the South Suburban Airport. The bill text frames this as a broad, project‑level analysis (costs, benefits, and associated expenditures).
- Funding freeze: The State may not allocate any additional funds to construction of the South Suburban Airport until the analysis is complete.
- Airport Improvement Program funds: IDOT is prohibited from using any funds it receives under the federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP) for the airport’s construction until the analysis is finished.
- Contracting/RFP certification: Any request for proposal (RFP) submitted to IDOT under its then‑current request‑for‑quote process after the bill takes effect must require a private developer to certify that no additional funds will be used for the airport’s construction until the analysis is completed.
- Broad definition of “funds”: The bill clarifies that “funds” include expenditures related to environmental review, studies, engineering work, or any other public spending associated with construction of the airport.
Who would be affected
- Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT): required to prepare the analysis and to implement the funding/use restrictions.
- State budget and appropriators: prevented from allocating additional state dollars to the project until analysis completion.
- Recipients of federal AIP dollars administered through IDOT: AIP funds may not be applied to the airport construction until the analysis is done.
- Private developers/contract bidders: RFPs issued after the effective date must include a certification limiting use of funds until the analysis is complete.
- Local governments, contractors, and communities near the proposed airport site: project development timelines, environmental reviews, and potential construction activity could be delayed; local economic development and anticipated project benefits would be deferred pending the analysis.
- Potential fiscal actors: the provision could affect project financing plans that relied on continuing state or AIP funding.
Procedural/timeline considerations and uncertainties
- The bill requires the analysis but does not specify a statutory deadline for IDOT to complete it. The funding freeze remains in effect “until the analysis is completed,” potentially creating an open‑ended pause unless the department or legislature sets or follows an internal timeline.
- The requirement to withhold AIP funds interacts with federal funding rules: while the bill prevents IDOT from using AIP grants for this project, federal agencies (e.g., FAA) also have their own processes and requirements that may affect timing and eligibility.
- The certification requirement for RFPs may constrain developer proposals and could delay procurement or contract awards until the analysis is complete.
Potential impacts (practical effects)
- Short‑term: delays or suspension of project spending, procurement, environmental reviews, and construction planning; IDOT will incur costs to perform the mandated analysis.
- Medium/long‑term: the analysis could inform whether state and federal funds should continue to be directed to the airport, potentially leading to (a) resumption of funding if analysis is favorable, (b) revision/scaling of the project, or (c) permanent deferral/termination if analysis finds costs outweigh benefits.
- Fiscal: temporary reduction in state and federal disbursements to the project; possible reallocation pressures for funds otherwise intended for the airport.
Note on provided materials
- Materials supplied with the request also included legislative analyses from another jurisdiction about auxiliary container (single‑use packaging) regulation; those documents appear unrelated to the Illinois SB 1822 airport analysis and were not used to describe the Illinois measure summarized above. If you want a summary of the unrelated auxiliary container/regulatory bill, I can prepare that separately.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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